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Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Like its Milan sedan sibling, the 2011 Mercury Mariner crossover will be one of the final vehicles sold under its brand name. Ford announced in 2010 it would shut down the Mercury brand, leaving it with just Lincoln and Ford nameplates to apply to its wide range of sedans, trucks, and crossovers.
The Mariner had received fairly extensive updates in the 2008 and 2009 model years. For 2008, Ford smoothed over the aging Mariner's looks and fitted a new interior that organized controls a bit more effectively, but cloaked them in too much grainy plastic.
The Mariner's cabin is a pleasantly functional space, thanks in part to a huge center console with removable bins. Satin-finish metallic accents and available leather upholstery add a premium sheen. The Mariner shows its age, however, in terms of comfort and space. Up front, the seating position feels upright and trucklike and there's no telescoping steering wheel, so you have the feeling that you're hovering above the controls.
The front seats are shaped well enough, but the rear seat is as flat as a pirate's plank and offers neither a recline function nor fore/aft adjustability. What's more, folding the seatback down for maximum cargo capacity is a royal pain, requiring the headrests to be removed and the bottom cushions to be tumbled forward, a consequence of offering a flat load floor. Cargo volume stands at a useful 29 cubic feet with the rear seat in place and 66 cubic feet when that seat is folded down not bad given the Mariner's relatively compact footprint.
EXTERIOR
It comes in four different trim levels such as base I4, Premier I4, Base V6, and last but still important, Premier V6. The base model is well – equipped with various features like alloy 6 – inch wheels, privacy glass, air conditioning, fog lights, full power accessories, and audio controls steering- mounted wheel.
On the other hand, the Premier model has all basic to advanced amenities such as parking rear sensors, front heated seats, interior ambient lighting, power – driver seat, leather upholstery, Sync and rearview auto – dimming mirror and six – speaker stereo system etc.
In 2011, the Mariner adopted more significant powertrain updates. A new base engine was added and the V-6 option gained more power. For 2011, the 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine puts out 171 horsepower, and the output of the 3.0-liter V-6 reaches 240 hp. Both versions are equipped with a six-speed automatic transmission.
A third powertrain is offered in the Mariner Hybrid, which is virtually identical to the award-winning Ford Escape Hybrid. The technology in this version of the Mariner crossover couples a 2.5-liter four-cylinder with a full hybrid system combining an electric motor system. The result: gas mileage that's EPA-rated at 34 mpg city and 31 highway, with acceleration similar to that in the stock four-cylinder.
SAFETY
Antilock brakes (albeit with rear drums), traction control, stability control, front-seat side airbags and full-length head curtain airbags with a rollover sensor are all standard equipment on the 2011 Mercury Mariner.
The Mariner earned a perfect five stars from the government in both front and side crash tests. In testing by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the Mariner scored the highest rating of "Good" in the frontal-offset and side tests. Unfortunately, the Mariner's braking performance is poor. From 60 mph, the Ford Escape we tested (mechanically identical to the Mariner) required 138 feet to come to a halt.
reference:www.superdupercars.com,www.edmunds.com,www.thecarconnection.com
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